Convergence

I am a great believer - in convergence. Three messages so far...

1. Creating FarmerMotherBanker was a chance to write, a chance to practice writing freely. Not to be tied to my computer to write corporate strategy but simply to write for the joy of writing.

2. Work recently paid $6000 for me to be tested by a Psychiatrist to determine "my fit". Lucky for me they didnt find out I am a psychopathic killer in the making...however they did tell me that I speak and communicate differently to my colleagues (read they are not from the bush!). They didnt state this as a negative but I gather it is

3. Completely out of left field yesterday I had a colleague ring me and ask whether I knew of anyone who could fill a very interesting role in Internal Communications...I pondered for a minute and then answered - YES - me. I caught myself out by responding with my heart rather than thinking my answer thru.

So there you go. I have this wonderful feeling that serendipity is about to show me the way. Right now though I am up to my neck in Agribusiness Strategy. I love the Agribusiness part but fail to be stimulated by yet another PowerPoint pack.

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Slippery is in Sydney. They were in Fiji this last week and had to fish and gather their own food - quite a shock apparently for the NRL based players!

We have the results back of Claudia's tests and the answer is we need more - she has a pet chicken called Speckles! Haydn is six in 8 more sleeps. Dad de-gloved his hand when a weaner bull kicked him - OUCH!! Mum is just wonderful and holds this family together in the most amazing way.

All the best
Farmer Bub

Coming to a Stop at the farm.

Around two years ago Slippery and I made a decision to stop traveling the globe and to move back "home" to Queensland. I had moved 14 times in as many years, going wherever my work asked me to and where I felt we could have interesting/fun experiences as a family and where I could learn and grow as a Banker. Interstate, overseas (the picture is me in PNG wearing a Meri dress) moves were heaps and heaps of fun and really made our family unit very tight. In 2006 we moved from Fiji to Melbourne and for the first time in five + years Slippery re-entered the workforce after being a stay-at-home Dad. He also had a complete change with his work - from working his trade in the Railway to becoming a coach/development officer with National Rugby League Club Melbourne Storm. I took a Head Office job with my bank but continued to do extensive travel to the Pacific and Asia.

It was hard, really hard without any family support in Melbourne. After 12 months we decided to return to Brisbane, Queensland. Not quite 'home" but very close. We both transferred with our jobs, I continued to travel and it became a bit easier with family around. However, tragedy struck when Slippery's beautiful mother, Ann passed away after only three weeks of cancer. We were devastated and still mourn her everyday. There was a real magic and warmth about Ann that we miss terribly. Partly due to Ann no longer being close-by and partly because we were still desperate to get out of the city, we finally moved home in July this year to the farm.

I now work in a different role in a different bank and travel to Sydney most weeks for a day or two or three and Slippery still works in his same role.

Working from home is a great option and for anyone considering it - my advice is go for it!! Working from the farm is even better. I get to stay in touch with what is going on, have lunch with Mum and Dad every day that I am home, rise at dawn and spend time with my horses, check on the cattle and then do an hour or so of work online before getting the kids off to the school bus.

Today I had a break at lunch and went into town to collect our new pullets (chooks). I can tell they are going to be keeping us in crackleberries very well as one laid an egg on the way home! Now that is productivity. I caught up on all the news about town and caught up with our good mate and local produce store owner Mick. There are just so many characters in the bush and they really make my corporate life seem so bland and boring.

The Dollar Birds were showing off this morning and the frogs are croaking loudly so maybe we are going to get some rain in the next few days...here's hoping.

All the best,
Farmer Bub